Tag Archives: Immigration & Status

Organizing to Protect Immigrants, Refugees, and TPS Holders

Our network partners have been advocating for immigrant and refugee rights and protections as they call for pathways for citizenship, organize against ICE, defend asylum, advocate to end deportations and incarceration in our communities, and work to free our community members from immigration jails, prisons, and detention facilities. Here are some of the most recent campaigns that you can take part in to protect our communities from these incidents of anti-Asian violence. 

Adhikaar has previously called upon Congress to act now to protect Nepali TPS holders and affirm immigrants by creating a concrete pathway to citizenship and permanent residency through legislation. Adhikaar launched a TPS redesignation campaign and needs your help! Nepal remains unsafe for return due to the continuing effects of the 2015 earthquake, ongoing and recent political instability, and the current impacts of COVID-19. Their campaign urges the Department of Homeland Security to redesignate Nepal for TPS, which could allow for 35k+ additional Nepalis to become eligible for TPS. Watch this video to understand why redesignation is so important and what you can do. Take action today by signing the petition to call Secretary Mayorkas to redesignate Nepal for TPS! 

Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW) – “In order to #StopAsianHate, we have to hold to account the way the government enacts anti-Asian violence through deportation. Anti-Asian violence isn’t just between individuals, it’s ingrained in how our country is governed. #seafreedom #stopseadeportation.” Join the Coalition of Asian American Leaders and their partners with the Southeast Asian Deportation Defense Network (SEADDN) in calling for urgent action to end the deportation of Southeast Asian families by signing this petition demanding that visa sanctions against Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos be removed. Sign this petition to demand that President Biden and DHS Secretary Mayorkas lift all visa sanctions. 

Southeast Asian Freedom Network – SEAFN has worked to lift up the stories of community members who were targeted unjustly by the immigration legal system. Detention and deportation is anti-Asian violence. The Southeast Asian immigrants facing deportation have families, communities, lives ahead of them. They do not deserve to have their lives upended by an unjust immigration system. Join these organizations and pledge to support the end of Southeast Asian Deportation: http://bit.ly/seafreedom. You can also share their toolkit: https://bit.ly/seafreedomtoolkit. We cannot stop until deportations are ended entirely for Southeast Asian immigrants and refugees.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta – The Biden administration plans to expand Folkston ICE Processing Center, making Georgia the private prison capital of the U.S. We stand firm with 20 other organizations to demand an immediate halt to all plans to expand! #AbolishICE #ShutDownFolkston #CommunitiesNotCages Read the full press release here: https://drive.google.com/…/1mLiIefWe7GUDndK3jUKy1b…/view

Southeast Asian Freedom Network – SEAFN – Phoeun You, is a 47-year-old Cambodian refugee and crisis counselor from Long Beach, CA. After serving over 25 years in and being found suitable for parole, Phoeun deserves to be reunited with his family! Not transferred to ICE detention! His leadership and hard work has been overlooked because he is a refugee. #StopICEtranfers to #ProtectPhoeun and support #VISIONAct. Use this Toolkit: bit.ly/ProtectPhoeun

Advocating for a Pathway to Citizenship for All

Sign the petition: Vice President Kamala Harris and Congressional Democrats can and must provide a pathway to citizenship immediately – We won’t take no for an answer. This is the year we will win citizenship for millions. Sign the petition: Vice President Kamala Harris and Congressional Democrats can and must provide a pathway to citizenship immediately.

Adhikaar along with Communities United for Status and Protection (CUSP) releases the following statement urging the Senate to disregard the Parliamentarian and provide green cards to millions. “This third rejection by the Parliamentarian clearly shows that she has no intention of approving any form of immigration relief to be included in the Build Back Better Act, despite very clear and significant budgetary impact. Senators must not allow a non-elected Senate staffer to subvert the will of the people via a purely advisory opinion. Senators must fulfill their duties to our communities and legislate what is right.  The only way to do this is by including permanent residency in the Build Back Better Act.” Read their full statement here:

Calling on Congress to Deliver a Permanent Pathway to Citizenship

Asian Americans Advancing Justice Urges Congress to Commit to a Pathway to Citizenship and Visa Recapture After Parliamentarian Recommendations (December 17, 2021)

Asian Americans Advancing Justice is extremely disheartened by the Parliamentarian guidance further blocking relief for millions of undocumented community members. We will not stop fighting until Congress delivers a permanent pathway to citizenship.

Adhikaar along with Communities United for Status and Protection (CUSP) releases the following statement urging the Senate to disregard the Parliamentarian and provide green cards to millions: “This third rejection by the Parliamentarian clearly shows that she has no intention of approving any form of immigration relief to be included in the Build Back Better Act, despite very clear and significant budgetary impact. Senators must not allow a non-elected Senate staffer to subvert the will of the people via a purely advisory opinion. Senators must fulfill their duties to our communities and legislate what is right. The only way to do this is by including permanent residency in the Build Back Better Act.” Read their full statement here!

HANA Center and Undocumented Community Members Respond to the Parliamentarian’s Third Recommendation: “This Changes Nothing. Vice President Harris, Disregard the Parliamentarian!” Read their full statement here!

VietLead stands with Movement of Immigrant Leaders in Pennsylvania and New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia in their call to include a pathway to citizenship in the budget reconciliation. Read more here: Pennsylvania Families call on Vice President Harris and Senate to Include a Pathway to Citizenship in Budget Reconciliation.

U.S. Senate and House Budget Resolution

HANA CENTER – “On August 24, 2021, the US House of Representative passes the budget resolution, a $3.5 billion budget resolution that included a pathway to citizenship for dreamers, farmworkers, TPS holders and essential workers. Now that both the Senate and the House have passed the resolution, we’re closer than we’ve ever been to a path to citizenship!” 

“The fight isn’t over yet. Even if they passed the resolution with funds set aside for a pathway, they will now start writing the bill. In the coming weeks, they will decide who will be covered and who will not. Congress also could decide to use this fund for constructing “smart fences” and militarizing our border.”

ASIAN AMERICANS ADVANCING JUSTICE – “We are one step closer to a pathway to citizenship and clearing the family immigration backlog! Asian Americans Advancing Justice celebrates as the House Judiciary Committee passed out of committee last night the immigration legislation in the FY 22 Budget Reconciliation Package that included:”

  • A pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, essential workers, and farmworkers
  • Provisions to begin clearing the family and employee-based visa backlogs
  • Provisions to provide green cards to diversity visa program lottery winners who were not able to receive them due to the former administration’s immigration bans, including 3,800 Afghan recipients

“Over 100,000 Asian undocumented immigrants, approximately 15,000 Nepali TPS holders, and tens of thousands of Asian Americans on nonimmigrant visas could benefit under these provisions. We thank the tireless advocacy from undocumented youth, organizers, and communities across the country that has led to the inclusion of key measures in the most promising legislative vehicle to begin transforming our deeply flawed immigration system.” Read their full statement here.

Asian American Civil Rights Organizations Calls Passage of Senate Budget Resolution a Historic Step for Immigrant Rights – Washington, D.C.—August 12, 2020— “Yesterday, the Senate budget resolution passed along party lines and included increased funding for education, climate change, healthcare, childcare, economic aid for families, and a pathway to citizenship for millions of immigrants. It now moves to the House to take up the budget resolution.” Asian Americans Advancing Justice, an affiliation of five independent Asian American civil rights organizations, releases the following statement:

“Eleven million undocumented immigrants, including 1.7 million undocumented Asian American and Pacific Islander immigrants, deserve a pathway to citizenship now. Citizenship for DACA recipients, TPS holders, farm workers, and essential workers provides a foundation to improve the lives of millions of people, their families, and their communities. 

With the Senate passage of the budget resolution, we’re one step closer to offering citizenship to millions of people who came here as children, arrived fleeing war and disaster, or help us care for one another as first responders, caregivers, food system workers, and so much more. With a pathway to citizenship, our friends, neighbors, and co-workers can get the help they need to pull through the pandemic, live without fear of being separated from their loved ones, access better education and job opportunities, start new businesses, and exercise their right to vote – embracing what it means to live a full life in the place you call home. We call on the House to swiftly pass the resolution. Relief for millions of immigrants is long overdue.” 

Demand That President Biden and DHS Lift Sanctions on Laos and Cambodia

Learn more and sign here: http://bit.ly/2021VisaSanctionsPetition

“In order to #StopAsianHate, we have to hold to account the way the government enacts anti-Asian violence through deportation. Anti-Asian violence isn’t just between individuals, it’s ingrained in how our country is governed. #seafreedom #stopseadeportation.”

Join the Coalition of Asian American Leaders and their partners with the Southeast Asian Deportation Defense Network (SEADDN) in calling for urgent action to end the deportation of Southeast Asian families by signing this petition demanding that visa sanctions against Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos be removed. Sign this petition to demand that President Biden and DHS Secretary Mayorkas lift all visa sanctions:

There is currently one immigration ban still in effect from the Trump Administration – the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) visa sanctions against Laos that prevent all forms of immigration to the United States from that country. The DHS sanctions keep war torn families apart and perpetuate violence against refugees and immigrants. Between 2016 and 2019, DHS placed visa sanctions on Laos, Cambodia, Eritrea, and Burundi, and other primarily Southeast Asian and African countries because they refused to bow to pressure from the Trump Administration to fully accept deportations.

Over 2,000 Southeast Asian refugees have been deported from the United States since 1998. After Donald Trump’s election, deportations of Southeast Asians drastically increased, with Cambodian removals seeing a 279% increase between 2017 and 2018. The removals are the direct result of visa sanctions placed on these countries by the Department of Homeland Security. Despite the change in presidency, these harmful sanctions are still being implemented by the State Department on the behest of DHS. This has devastated communities who have survived U.S. backed wars, violence, and genocide and face poverty, incarceration, and now, deportation while living in this country.

Despite public requests for the Biden Administration to lift the sanctions, they remain in place. These Trump era bullying tactics and efforts to deport refugees and immigrants  must be stopped, and President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas must not continue to implement Trumpian policies that perpetuate violence against our communities.

Join us and demand President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas lift all DHS visa sanctions, end harm against refugees and immigrants through these sanctions, and allow Laotian families to reunite. Sign the petition today and demand an end to this injustice.

 

ADHIKAAR – Sign This Petition: Redesignate Nepal for Temporary Protected Status!

READ AND SIGN THE PETITION HERE

Adhikaar – Nepal remains unsafe for return due to the continuing effects of the 2015 earthquake along with the current impacts of COVID-19 and recent flooding. There are approximately 10,160 Nepali TPS holders, but currently, TPS only applies to those who have been in the United States until June 24, 2015.

This is why we request for redesignation of TPS for Nepal. The Department of Homeland Security must redesignate Nepal, which could allow anyone who has fled conditions back home in Nepal and come to the United States until now, to apply for TPS (meaning 36,795+ additional people could be eligible for TPS if we win redesignation).

Not only is Nepal unsafe for return due to the continuing effects of a devastating earthquake, the ongoing political instability, and catastrophic flooding in 2017 have widened the cracks in Nepal’s infrastructure, leaving the country vulnerable to economic, political, and societal shocks.

After nearly 10 years of political turmoil after the overthrow of absolute monarchy, Nepal had finally managed to adopt a new constitution in 2015; however, Nepal has seen four different governments in the six years since then, and the instability continues – just on July 12, 2021, the Supreme Court of Nepal has ordered the reinstatement of the parliament and the change of government after months of infighting between various political parties.

Just this May, while some countries were on their way to COVID-19 recovery, Nepal hit its peak infection rate. The lack of health resources like beds and oxygen tanks has further exacerbated the issue. Health officials reported an incredible daily positivity rate of 50 percent, with infections rising from 150 people per day to over 9,300 per day in one month. Additionally, more recent flooding extreme monsoon rains and landslides across the country have displaced entire communities.

Redesignation would not just benefit TPS holders, it would also benefit U.S. citizens and the United States as a whole. Extending TPS to thousands of Nepalis also protects thousands of U.S.-citizen children of Nepali TPS holders and prevents family separation. Current Nepali TPS holders have worked on the frontlines during the pandemic as doctors, nurses, health aides, grocery store clerks, restaurant workers, and package delivery personnel, keeping our country running, safe and healthy.

The humanitarian crisis in Nepal persists, and there is no possibility for these hardworking, essential Nepali immigrants to safely return at this time. Nepal is in no condition to receive the return of over 36,000 Nepalis and their families living in the United States. DHS Secretary Mayorkas must redesignate Nepal for TPS and extend vital humanitarian protection to those who need it.

In addition to Nepal, we encourage DHS to conduct a review for redesignation of all other countries currently with TPS protections.

 

Ruling on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

On Friday, July 16, 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen issued a court order invalidating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Although DACA will remain in place for current recipients, the order directed the government to stop processing new DACA applications while allowing the processing of renewals pending appeals. Here is a quick break down about Judge Hanen partially ending DACA from United We Dream.

Advancing Justice: “The Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation condemns this decision from Judge Hanen, who has a history of anti-immigrant rulings and is playing politics with people’s lives by attacking this program that is widely supported by Americans. We remain confident that the DACA program is on firm legal ground and urge the federal government to swiftly appeal this case.” Read their full statement here.

Here are some informational graphics shared by various network partners on this recent ruling as well as ways to get involved and take action, access resources, and support our impacted community members:

 

 

Organizing to Protect Immigrants, Refugees, and TPS Holders

Our network partners have been advocating for immigrant and refugee rights and protections as they call for pathways for citizenship, organize against ICE, defend asylum, advocate to end deportations and incarceration in our communities, and work to free our community members from immigration jails, prisons, and detention facilities. Here are some of the most recent campaigns that you can take part in to protect our communities from these incidents of anti-Asian violence. 

Adhikaar has previously called upon Congress to act now to protect Nepali TPS holders and affirm immigrants by creating a concrete pathway to citizenship and permanent residency through legislation. Adhikaar is launching a TPS redesignation campaign and needs your help! Nepal remains unsafe for return due to the continuing effects of the 2015 earthquake, ongoing and recent political instability, and the current impacts of COVID-19. This is why we are launching our campaign to urge the Department of Homeland Security to redesignate Nepal for TPS, which could allow for 35k+ additional Nepalis to become eligible for TPS. Watch this video to understand why redesignation is so important and what you can do. Take action today by signing the petition to call Secretary Mayorkas to redesignate Nepal for TPS! 

Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW) – “In order to #StopAsianHate, we have to hold to account the way the government enacts anti-Asian violence through deportation. Anti-Asian violence isn’t just between individuals, it’s ingrained in how our country is governed. #seafreedom #stopseadeportation.” Join the Coalition of Asian American Leaders and their partners with the Southeast Asian Deportation Defense Network (SEADDN) in calling for urgent action to end the deportation of Southeast Asian families by signing this petition demanding that visa sanctions against Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos be removed. Sign this petition to demand that President Biden and DHS Secretary Mayorkas lift all visa sanctions. 

Freedom Inc – Deportation impacts the whole family and community. Freedom, Inc has been fighting against the deportation of Southeast Asians for the last 20 years and has been centering the voices of women, children, and those who identify as LGBTQI+. Southeast Asian Freedom Network – SEAFN has worked to lift up the stories of community members who were targeted unjustly by the immigration legal system. Detention and deportation is anti-Asian violence. The Southeast Asian immigrants facing deportation have families, communities, lives ahead of them. They do not deserve to have their lives upended by an unjust immigration system. Join these organizations and pledge to support the end of Southeast Asian Deportation: http://bit.ly/seafreedom. You can also share their toolkit: https://bit.ly/seafreedomtoolkit. We cannot stop until deportations are ended entirely for Southeast Asian immigrants and refugees.

 

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New Way Forward Act for Southeast Asian Refugees

NBC: Asian American community advocates say a new immigration reform bill reintroduced in Congress on Tuesday can become a pathway for Southeast Asian Americans who have been deported to return to the U.S. or who are in deportation proceedings to stay in the country.

Reintroduced by Reps. Jesús  “Chuy” García, Pramila Jayapal, Karen Bass, and Ayanna Pressley, the New Way Forward Act seeks to decriminalize immigration and tackle systemic racism in the country’s immigration system. Key components of the bill include: eliminating mandatory detention, redefining convictions, ending deportations based on certain convictions, restoring judicial discretion for immigration judges, creating a five-year statute of limitations for deportability, and establishing an opportunity to come home for certain deported individuals or non-citizens in deportation proceedings.

Advancing Justice and SEARAC issued the following joint statement: “This landmark legislation re-envisions the United States’ severely flawed and racist immigration enforcement system. The New Way Forward Act would restore fundamental due process protections and compassion back to our immigration system. For the last several years, our country’s outdated and unjust immigration laws have been used to deport our communities at an unprecedented level. As we look to eliminate mass incarceration and create a racially just society, the New Way Forward Act is an essential step toward justice and equity for immigrant and refugee communities. We need to provide a way for those individuals who were unjustly removed to have the opportunity to come home and be reunited with their families.”

Read more about the news story here. Find out how you can take action today by following Advancing Justice and SEARAC’s action alerts to contact your members of Congress and ask them to co-sponsor the New Way Forward Act! Find the digital tool kit here.

Organizing Against ICE and Protecting Immigrants and Refugees

Our network partners have been advocating for immigrant and refugee rights and protections as they organize against ICE, defend asylum, advocate to end deportations in our communities, and work to free our community members from immigration jails, prisons, and detention facilities. View and read more about some of the campaigns and advocacy efforts our network partners are involved with and find out how you can help:

Adhikaar has joined the Communities United for Status and Protection (CUSP) with four other immigrants rights and grassroots organizations to amplify the needs and experiences of the African, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Latinx, Arab/Middle Eastern, and Asian/Pacific Islander (API) communities. This collaboration was founded based on the need to build power, mobilize, and galvanize within our communities. Together, they will fight for permanent residency for all TPS holders. Support their efforts by donating here: bit.ly/adhikaardonate

HANA Center participated in Chicago’s #FreedomTogether car caravan with other immigrants rights groups from across Illinois. They called on President-elect Biden and Congress to end deportations and family separation, pass inclusive COVID-19 relief regardless of immigration status, and introduce legislation with citizenship for all 11 million undocumented immigrants. Support the HANA Center and find out ways you can volunteer here

Asian American Resource Workshop: “On November 19th, the Trump administration proposed a new rule to ban work permits for people on Orders of Supervision (OSUP): those who have been ordered deported but are temporarily released from custody. This includes tens of thousands of Southeast Asian immigrants and refugees who have resettled to the US and rebuilt their lives after being displaced by the war in Southeast Asia. Join us in protecting our friends, families, and community members by submitting a public comment opposing the proposed work ban on work permits by Monday, December 21st.”  Learn more and take action at https://tiny.cc/ProtectWorkPermits

 

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